Virgin Media HD

[chriswood_7]

Hey guys,

Got the V+ service installed last week and just managed to go HD via the DVI on my TV. Must say that High Definition looks amazing, absolutely crystal clear. However, the only thing available is BBC HD. And thats pants.

Anyone got any idea of any future channels (Sky One HD, Sports etc) being available on Virgin Media?

Cheers

[MD]

No idea, but I ordered my box today, gets fitted next week - not only that but its only £15 more - which I can't complain about cos my exisitng discounts aren't affected....so for £65 a month i get

V+ HD Box
Second Set top box
XL TV
Sky Sports
Line Rental
Talk unlimited
International talk plan
4mb Broadband



gotta love it

[DR]

Very nice

[chriswood_7]

Yeah, I went for the £85 a month and its excellent for what you get, well over £100 if you break it down.

Just hope most of the Sky HD channel become available!

[Clstrphbc_donut]

I'm holding out to see what Virgin can offer, channel wise, and Sky are tempting away, continuously sending me letters/adverts about HDTV.

Considering I want to feed as many HD sources into my new TV as possible, Virgin isn't looking like a favourite at the moment with its lack of high-definition channels.

Plus, I began to hate it when it changed from Telewest

Telewest were great and I don't see why Virgin could not leave them be. If the service changes (download limits etc) then so will I.....to a different provider.

And to the OP, you say DVI for HD? What about HDMI?

[chriswood_7]

Im still awaiting delivery of my HDMI lead, as it doesnt come as standard with the box. So in the mean time im using my DVI, with phono output to tide me over until it comes (which should be today or tomorrow)

Dont think it will affect the quality that much tbh,

[Skinleech]

Sky & NTL, so therefore Virgin, were locked in discussions over Sky One HD becoming available.

The Telewest HD service was all mpeg2, as that's all the box handles, so I dunno if the V+ box is different or not, but if not, it means any Sky content will be re-encoded, as it's all h264.

As for DVI vs HDMI, unless you want your audio via the same lead, DVI won't be any different PQ wise.

[MD]

I gotta use HDMI - got X360 in the same TV, then my DVD player uses one of the HDMI on my TV, good job I got one with two

[BUFF]

Originally Posted by Skinleech

The Telewest HD service was all mpeg2, as that's all the box handles, so I dunno if the V+ box is different or not, but if not, it means any Sky content will be re-encoded, as it's all h264.

NTL was planning on going with an mpeg4 box from SA but with all the mergers that seemed to get canned & I think that it's the same unit as the Telewest.

[MD]

the box is a SA box, I found a pic of it the other day, let me see what I can find..

[MD]

Full specs here .... http://www.scientificatlanta.com/cus...ce/7004921.pdf

[BUFF]

the telewest box was from SA as well.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10...l_unveils_pvr/ - looks like the NTL version got scrapped

[Clstrphbc_donut]

Originally Posted by Skinleech

As for DVI vs HDMI, unless you want your audio via the same lead, DVI won't be any different PQ wise.

I only asked as my TV (Philips 37PF5521) has 2 HDMI's, but no DVI's, so I wanted to know if it used HDMI because otherwise I cant get HD from Virgin Media.

[Clunk]

Does anyone know if they are going back to having the broadband through these as well as the telly stuff? I think the old Samsung box was only good for 4-5 meg.

[Skinleech]

Originally Posted by Clstrphbc_donut

I only asked as my TV (Philips 37PF5521) has 2 HDMI's, but no DVI's, so I wanted to know if it used HDMI because otherwise I cant get HD from Virgin Media.

Just get a DVI-HDMI cable. That's what I use to output from my HTPC to my HDTV.

I imagine it would be HDMI though, or RGB if not.

And yeah, I had also read that NTL was going the mpeg4 route, but scrapped it. Shame, h264 content is luuverly.

[Howard]

That box is Ugly


And guys, you might as well think of the V+ box as a PVR and not for HD, seeing as BBC HD is all you get, with no sign of any other content yet, which amounts to almost sod all, and who knows how much longer the BBC HD "trial" will last...